“For years and years, our party has focused on those young people who go to university. But it’s time now to focus on those who don’t go to university - the young people who are too often the forgotten 50 per cent. We cannot succeed if we have an education system which only works for half the country.”

Ed Miliband at the Labour Party conference

“Engineering firms are crying out for engineers. They can’t get the people they need. Although they have been very, very vocal about the subject it has not translated into public policy yet.”

Professor Matthew Harrison of the Royal Academy of Engineering on the growing UK shortage of graduates in Stem subjects.